Tubing cleaning device



Feb. 14, 1950 T. J. DAvls Erm. 2,497,659

TUBING CLEANING DEVICE Filed oct. 21, 1944 2 sheets-sheet 1 Feb. 14, 1950 11.1. DAVIS ET Al. 2,497,659

TUBING cLEANNG DEVICE Filed Oct. 2l, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

THOMAS/J. pn ws wes/1. s. MILLER Patented Feb. 14, 1950 UNITED STATES lPATENT OFFICE TUBING CLEANING DEVICE I `Thomas J.

Davis and Virgil B. Miller, Beaumont, Tex.

Application October 21, 1944, Serial No. 559,807 p This invention relates to the removal of deposits from the internal walls of pipe and is of particular utility in the rem-oval of paraffin or other deposits from the interior oi the flow string, or tubing, of oil wells. lMore particularly the invention relates to a method of, and an apparatus for, expeditiously and effectively re-- moving deposited parafiin from the tubing in oil or gas wells.

It is well recognized that in some oil producing areas, the composition of the petroleum products produced, and other factors such as temperatures and pressures, are such that certain constituents, particularly paraiiin, tend toA accumulate on the interior of the tubing and will, in time, materially reduce production from the well. This accumulation is most pronounced proximate the surface where pressures and temperatures are lowest and usually occurs at depths of approximately two-thousand feet and less.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a novel method and instrumentality for removing this obstructing material from the tubing of oil wells.

It is also an object to provide a simple device that may be utilized effectively with a minimum of labor or other expense.

A more specific object is to provide a power device which is adapted to stabilize itself during movement within a well tubing and to simultaneously and progressively remove and com` from wells without terminating production of.

the wells during the process.

A still further lobject is to provide a method and device for removing deposits from within a well tubing by progressively severing such deposits from the walls and comminuting the severed material whereby same is Aremoved by fluids produced by the well.

The foregoing are illustrative objects which, together with additional objects, will be more fully apparent from the following description taken :in connection with thel accompanying drawings in which; I p

5 Claims. (Cl. 166-18) Fig. 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of one embodiment of the invention and its relative position within a tube being cleaned thereby;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2 2 l in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3--3 in Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the stabilizer i which comprises an element of the device of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a View similar to that shown in Fig. 4, but taken at an angle of thereto, and portions being cut away to more clearly show the lstructure of this element;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6--6 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken through a producing well in which a device embodying the inr vention is being lowered to remove paraiiln from @within the tubing.

In order to illustrate the utility of the invenl-wtion and the general manner of attaining the objects above enumerated, reference is rst made to Fig. '7 in which there is shown a well casing I `which extends upwardly from the earths surface.` l

2 and is provided with a casing head 3. Interiorly of the casing I is the iiow string 4 through which well fluids rise as indicated by the arrow i 5. As is well known in the art, the well head 3 is provided with suitable outlets 6 and 1, the V: latter of which will be assumed to be the outlet f from the flow string or tubing 4.

The device of the invention is generally shown i at I0 suspended upon a conductor cable II hav- :ing an insulated conductor or conductors I2 therein, whereby the cable serves the dual pur- 1 pose of raising and lowering the device I0 and supplying electric power thereto for a rotatable cutter 40 within a stabilizer 50 all of which will be more fully described. It is intended that` cutter 4i) shall enter and comminute deposits 8 on the tubing 4 so that the comminuted matef rial may move with well fluids through the annular space 9 between the body of the device and the tubing 4.

The device I 0 comprises a power unit having" a housing I3 with body Aportions I4 and I5 threadedly interconnected' at I6 and closed at their ends by cap member I'I and plug or nose .member I-8. The cap member I1 is provided with a threaded projection I9 to which a sinker bar may be attached if desired.

'Within the body portion I4 is assembled an electric motor 2D which, as already indicated, is

`supplied with electr-ic power through the con-..3

ductor or conductors I2 from a source located at the point at which cleaning operations are controlled. The shaft 2l of the motor 20 is provided with a gear 22 (see Fig. 2) engaging planetary gears 23 mounted on pins 24 on spider 25. The planetary gears also mesh with teeth 2B on the interior of the body member I5. It seems apparent that, with the structure just described, rotation ofA the gear 22 causes the planetary gears to revolve upon their pins 24 and also to effect rotation of the spider 25 within anti-friction bearing 2'I.

The lower end of the downwardly extending portion of the spider 25 is in turn provided with a gear which engages planetaryy gears '3.I (se-e. Fig. 3) rotatable upon pins 32 on spider 33 mounted in bearing 34. Planetary gears 3| en gage teeth on the interior of' the .body member I5.

A shaft 36 passes through axial bores in spiders 25v and 3.3. This shaft is rotatablev within spider 25 lwhich thusserves as a bearing at the upper end of. this shaft. The shaft is, however, secured to spider 33by pin 3,1 so that the shaft is driven by this spider.

The power unitl above described is necessarily of relatively small diametral dimension since it is intended to operate within conventional flow lines-and, as above explained, an annular space 9 must be provided about the unit. Hence, to

provide adequate rpower to comminute the deposit material A8', the motor 20- is designed for relatively high speeds. In order that the cutter be not driven at a greater speed than necessary, planetary-gears 22-26 and-30-33 and 35 -are provided. While the planetary type of gears is` shown as used for this purpose, itis apparent that any suitable gear reduction means may be utilized.

The nose member I8 is counterbored to re,- ceive packingv 38 through which shaft 36 passes.V to the exterior ofthe housing I3. A packing gland 39'isr provided to maintainl the packing x38 suf- 4 entire assembly when the gauge moves into engagement with a deposit to be removed from the interior of the tubing 4. It also serves to guide the assembly centrally of the tubing, to progressively sever deposits from the walls of the tubing and to displace the severed deposits inwardly toward the cutter 40 therein. To aid in this stabilizing action the stabilizer also includes arms 6I) extending downwardly from the ring gauge 52 and are thus adapted to'enter the deposits in advance of the ring gauge. These arms have ar- .cuate outer surfaces 6I which move in close the tubing. A transverse blade 62 interconnects Vthe lower ends of the arms 60 and such blade also .Ilciently"'impacted'to` prevent leakage of fluids along the surface-of the shaft 36.

A cutter 40., comprising a body' 4 I, is secured .tol

the lower endeof` shaft- 36 asbythe threadedgconnection and lock-nut 42,. This body is; elongated and is preferably tapered, although other suitable configurations. may be utilized. Blades 43 extend radially from the body 4I and extend at an angle to the axis. orrotationso that materials comminuted thereby are urged upwardly as comm'i-nution takes place. The vlowerinost Cutter blades 44 extend generally downwardly to assist'.`

in enlarging the bore within the deposit B; of which removal: is. required.

It seems apparent that the application of power to the cutterl 4D' tends to rotate the device in a directioneounteri to the direction of rotationoi,

nectedby ribs 54. The ring gauge 53 is of such diameter as to t closely within the tubing 4 and has al flaring-.inner surface; 55 whereby a` lower edge 56 isv formed. yBv virtueoi. this construction.

this gauge performs a stabilizing eiiect `onfthe.

jiluids.

.invention are realized.

assists in restraining the unit from rotation.

As explained, the stabilizer is intended to fit closelywithin the tubing to be cleaned. The cutter 40 is likewise of dimensions comparable to the interior ofI the. stabilizer, the uppermost blades 43 moving inclose proximity to the interior; surface` of the ring gauge 53. For this reason these two elements are detachable so that r, they maybe replaced with like elements of a size 'Y stabilizer and cutter of appropriate size, will rst be introduced into the upper end, of a tubing string 4, the cablel I I passing through a suitable stuiing box, as is customary when lowering afc-able deviceinto a ilo-wing well. The motor 2,0 is then energized and the entire unit is lowered and is guided centrally of the tubing by thestabilizer 50. Blade 6I and the arms 3l) enter the deposits within the tubing; and, at. the same time, the ring gauge 53 progressively severs the. deposits from the walls of' the tubing and moves vsuch depositsv radially upwardly. The cutter 40 being driven at relatively high speed, engages the severed deposits and nnely divides these deposits .which thenl move upwardly with .the well products; and are ejected through the well outlet; l.

When. the invention is used on iiowing wells the comminuted deposits are suspended inthe moving well fluidsl andremoved from Athe, well with such The invention Vis not, however, conned to the removal of deposits from owing wells but may be used where Well conditions are static. In such cases. procedure varies slightly from that just described.

If static well conditions exist the device I0 is lowered a predetermined distance or until downward movement of the device terminates or may under certain circumstances be lowered throughout the distance in which deposits exist. Because ofthe clearance 9 about the unit and the fact that the severed deposits are iinely divided and theres fore do 'not densely impact within the tubing, the

device is then withdrawn and swabbing is utilized for removal of the mixture of well fluids and the objects of the The invention claimed is:

1. A device for removing deposits from tubing in oil wells including an assembly adapted to be lowered upon a cable and including an electric motor operatively connected to the cable, a shaft driven by said motor, a rotatable cutter on said shaft, and a stabilizer attached to the housing of said motor and extending downwardly proximate the periphery of said cutter, said stabilizer comprising a cutter ring having an annular inwardly tapering surface whereby deposits severed thereby are moved inwardly to be comminuted by the cutter, and arms extending downwardly from the cutter ring alongside the cutter to engage the deposits in advance of the cutter in the tubing as the assembly is moved axially of the tubing, whereby the device is restrained from rotation as it is advanced.

2. In a device for removing deposits from the Walls of tubes, a housing, a motor therein, a shaft driven by said motor, a, rotatable cutter mounted on said shaft exteriorly of the housing, a stabilizer ring below the housing, ring supporting arms connected to the ring and housing, and passages between the arms, said stabilizer ring having an inwardly tapering surface so that deposits engaged by the ring are moved inwardly to be comminuted by the cutter, whereby said passages admit upward movement of the comminuted materials past the device.

3. In a device for removing deposits from the walls of tubes, a housing, a motor therein. a shaft driven by said motor, a rotatable cutter mounted on said shaft exteriorly of the housing, a stabilizer cutter ring below the housing and about said rotatable cutter, ring supporting arms connected to the ring and housing, and passages between the arms to admit movement past the device of materials comminuted by the cutter.

4. In a device for removing deposits from the walls of well tubing, a conductor cable, a housing attached to said cable, an electric motor within said housing and electrically connected to said cable, a shaft operatively connected to said motor and extending outwardly from within said housing, a rotatable cutter blade on said shaft, and a stabilizer ring below the housing to be moved proximate the wall of the tubing and operable to sever deposits from the Walls of the tubing and thence move such deposits inwardly for comminution by the cutter blade, ring supporting arms connected to the ring and housing, and passages between the arms whereby materials comminuted by the cutter blade may move axially past the stabilizer ring.

5. In a device of the class described, a housing, a shaft extending outwardly therefrom, an elongated cutter on the shaft exteriorly of the housing',4 a stabilizer secured to the housing, surrounding said shaft and cutter and including a ring gauge surrounding said cutter proximate one end thereof, a plurality of arms extending longitudinally of the device alongside the elongated cutter, and a transverse blade interconnecting the outer ends of rsaid legs.

THOMAS J. DAVIS. VIRGIL B. MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 236,490 Gaskill Jan. 11, 1881 942,312 Darlington Dec. 7, 1909 990,801 Chivers Apr. 25, 1911 1,395,091 Caverly Oct. 25, 1921 '1,989,035 Blum Jan. 22, 1935 2,058,267 Smith et a1 Oct. 27, 1936 2,187,845 Tatalovich Jan. 23, 1940 2,245,750 Betts June 17, 1941 2,354,245 Corbosiero July 25, 1944 

